Unregulated Antibiotic Use in Fish Farming Poses Public Health Risks: State Minister
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has warned that the growing misuse of antibiotics in fish farming poses serious risks to public health and the environment, while highlighting the importance of vaccine development for disease prevention in freshwater fish.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku has warned that the increasing trend of irrational and unregulated antibiotic use in fish farming poses significant risks to public health and the environment.
He made the remarks on 17 June, Wednesday, while speaking as a special guest at the inaugural workshop of the “Vaccine Development for Prevention of Epidemic Diseases in Freshwater Fish” project, organized by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute (BFRI) at the Soil Resource Development Institute auditorium.
The State Minister described the initiative to develop vaccines for freshwater fish diseases as both timely and essential for ensuring the sustainable production of disease-free fish, a key component of the country's daily diet.
Expressing concern, he noted that some antibiotics intended for livestock are also being used in fish farms, a practice he termed highly alarming. He called on the Department of Fisheries to strengthen monitoring and enforcement measures to prevent such misuse.
Tuku also emphasized that every public institution and responsible individual must carry out their duties with integrity, dedication and professionalism. Since the state operates with taxpayers’ money, he said, public accountability should remain at the core of all responsibilities.
Fisheries, Livestock and Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid attended the event as the chief guest. The workshop was chaired by BFRI Director General Dr. Anuradha Bhadra, while Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Secretary Md. Delwar Hossain spoke as the guest of honour.
Among the invited guests were Department of Fisheries Director General Dr. Md. Khaled Konok and Department of Livestock Services Director General Md. Shahjaman Khan.
The keynote paper was presented by Dr. Md. Sirajum Monir. Senior ministry officials, university faculty members, BFRI scientists, researchers, fisheries experts and other stakeholders also attended the workshop.
//DBTech/JNO/EK//
